WATCH: Boris Johnson Drives New Routemaster

The Mayor of London drove the new Routemaster bus on the private roads around City Hall, before it was driven to the photocall at Trafalgar Square.

But when his staff told him he needed to stop, he joked: "Of course I can drive on the road? I'm the Mayor. I've got a universal licence."

Watch the remarkable video below

Its been announced the new hop-on hop-off Routemaster will be on London's streets by February. Eight will enter passenger service in the first half of next year.

Labour's Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone branded the bus 'a vanity project' for the Mayor, but Boris hit back, telling LBC: "Any Labour candidate has got to decide whether they are in favour of a bus which is clean, green, delivers British jobs and is a wonderful example of what this company can make.

"Or do they want to bring back a German-made bendy bus that was not suited to the streets of London?"